SDA pricing

SDA Pricing Review Results

The long-awaited Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Pricing Review results have just been released.  The reports released are dense and technical.  As such, it will take some time for us to entirely unpack and understand the full impacts of the new pricing.  However, our initial topline analysis appears to indicate:

  • An overarching positive result in uptake of SDA Alliance recommendations. 

  • That the majority of configurations have seen increases in pricing.

  • That there is great variability in individual price changes dependent on Design Category, Build Type, Location Factor, Fire Sprinkler status and GST status, including a limited number of downward price changes. 

As the peak industry body for the good practice New Build SDA market, the SDA Alliance welcomes the overarching vital injection of government funding into many SDA dwelling configurations as indicated in the final Report.  We thank the Minister for the NDIS, and look forward to working collaboratively with both the Minister and the NDIA into the future, utilising this funding lifeline to support the much needed growth of good practice SDA for the benefit of people with disability. 

The SDA Alliance further wishes to take this opportunity to thank the NDIA team, particularly Professor David Cullen, Lara De Nikolits and Bernadette Levett, for consulting extensively with the good practice SDA market to inform the development of the new SDA Pricing. Please find here a link to the SDA Pricing Review results: https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/housing-and-living-supports-and-services/specialist-disability-accommodation/sda-pricing-and-payments/sda-pricing-review

SDA Alliance - Urbis SDA Pricing Review Summary Report

In partnership with Urbis, the SDA Alliance (SDAA) were proud to launch the SDA Pricing Summary Report at the SDAA National Members Meeting on Thursday 2 March 2023.

This Report utilises new national data from across the good practice New Build Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) sector to identify what is and isn’t working in current SDA pricing. The Report summarises information provided to Government for the purposes of the current SDA Pricing Review. It will enable this Review to support further investment and development of SDA, ultimately for the good of people with disability.

SDA Alliance, along with Urbis’ Economics and Property team, led the study which helped identify challenges that are constraining development. The Report provides recommendations. If accepted these recommendations would lead to a positive result of facilitating the development of additional appropriate housing supply for eligible people with a disability.

Our Report includes a range of recommendations covering:  

  • Build costs

  • Land costs

  • Fire Sprinklers

  • Other Acquisition costs

  • Exit costs

  • Ownership costs and vacancy rates

  • Tax costs

  • Financing costs

  • Indexation

  • Minimum accessibility standards

  • Innovation

  • Supply and demand forecasting

SDA has already begun to revolutionise the lives of many people with extreme functional impairment and/or very high disability support needs. It has the potential to support better lived outcomes and better futures for decades to come. Now that there is real-world experience in developing and managing SDA, we have a better understanding of what it will take to reach that potential.

Download the Report here to find out more.